Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-05-05
ing the diving leaves around them.


raised face paled with sudden pain to
his.
"When you are gone!" she repeated.
"What do you mean, Darcy9"
Involuntarily she drew closer to him.
"When he was gone" Why. the very
light died out of the blue heavens at
the words.
II had but six months leave of
ABSENCE" he said, land came in June;
it is October now, so that L have not
much time to spare"
Her lips quivered with pain as she
said
I'll have been SO happy that for
got; forgot you would go away again"
! IL had almost forgotten it," he added;
'but it struck Inc this morning should
go away with the dead leaves; but ]
should not see them live again in the
, spring"
IL shall always hate the dying
leaves" she said slowly. "How could |
have forgotten that you were going
/ away"
I'VE have been so happy" he said,
! taking her hands in his own. ave
have been like brother and sister,"
Then his face darkened, and hers
cleared.
"You are right" she said. "We have
found it very delightful to have broth
er like you"
Then, with pale face and trembling
/ lips, she drew nearer TO him.
"Oh. Darcy" she said, "what shall
do when you are gone? 1t will be like
night falling after brightest day"
as, I,,N 81
ring in them as of unutterable pain.
"Where are you going Darcy? Do
you see how the bright blue of the sky
shriveled? Something cold and desolate
has crept into the air. Where are you
going when you leave here?"
sour regiment is ordered to India"
he replied, II obtained six months
leave of absence before starting, on that
! account"
$40 India" she repeated in startled
voice-''to India?"
The light died from her eyes at the
words. For a minute or two it seemed
as though she should fall on her face.
Then, with a great effort, she recover
ed herself.
ut seems to have come to us both
quite suddenly" she said at length.
"How long shall you be in India, Darcy?"
About four or five years, | suppose"
he answered
"And then?" she said slowly.
He was silent for some few minutes.
"rhen, in all human probability, we
shall return to England"
And them she repeated.
II can see no further" he replied, in
a voice of infinite pain.
"Shall you come back here to the
Towers" she asked.
IL can not tell; five years is long
time. In five years time you will not
pc content to ramble through the woods
with me. You will be great lady-a
woman of fashion, with half London at
your feet. You have not begun life
yet"
"But when you talk of going away,
feel as though / had finished with it,"
she replied, slowly. "Oh Darcy, as
though all the world could make up
for the loss of you! We have been so
| happy. Do YOU" she added, raising
her eyes, full of innocence, to his face
--"do you know Darcy. that I never
had real friend or my own age before?
and We have been like brother and
sister,"
I'VE have indeed" he said, gently;
but the passionate love and passionate
pain in his heart told him the words
we're false; but he would not undeceive
her.
1--WE can ALWAYS be friends, Margue-
rite" he said. ave are relations, you
know; we can write to each other, and
be both dear and true friends always"
but there was little hope in his voice as
he spoke, and hers, when she answered
him. was like wal of despair.
at will never be the same again
never, Darcy. Do you not think it
would have been better for me if you
had never Gomez
"WhyY" he asked, his heart beating
loud and fast.
"If you had never come to the Towers
| should never have known you. / was
not very happy before | knew you; bu
having known, and now loosing you,
shall never be happy any more"
"Then, Marguerite: would you rather
never have known me?" he asked.
She was silent for few minutes;
there was u new light-new life in her
eyes when she looked at him.
NO." she replied. 81 would rather
have the pleasure and pain together,
| IMAM no PAIN anu no pleasure.
$50 would )" ne added.
"The shadow of farewell will al
ways hang round this spot for me-"
she said.
Marguerite" said Captain Este,
suddenly, "we have only two more
months to spend together. do not let
us shadow them by this remembrance,
1t will not make the parting less hard
when 1t comes. Let us be true phi
losophers, and make hay while the sun
Shines"
But he knew as he spoke that never
again while the sun shone. while the
tides swelled, while the stars cleaned
in the heavens, never again would the
world be the same to them.
LET us make the most of the two
months coming, and we shall have a
store of sweetest memories. Marguerite.
Do you remember the night when you
sung TO me, and you said the music had
driven me mad? DO you remember my
! dream?''
"Yes," she answered, with flushed
face, and down dropped eyes, ~ re-
member that"
"YOu will forget it. my Marguerite,
and forgive it," he said, "we have been
brother and sister, and we are to be
good friends until our death. is 1t not
so? And we are to be very happy for
the time left us, and forget the part
ing
"Yes," she answered again, but
shadow fell over her beautiful face,
that morning, which never left it again,
Lady Perth watched them return,
and felt well satisfied with the result
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